f) Thom cant decide if this is a metamerism that cant be changed, or can be fixed in PP.

I'm putting an article (or 2) together on my site to try to answer this very question. My early impressions are that it is correctible, but not through a very practical method. Hint: reference shots with gray cards or equivalent & reliable WB references are needed, and not many people will want to go that route.

I have just read your other post on sharpening, and think you are on the right track, The colour issue or non issue is I think the same, The D5100 is an amateur camera and a very good one and everything is more baked in than D7000, which leans to the pro-side, but is set up like an amateur camera from default, this, as you said about sharpening is all there and very good, you just have to get rid of the amateur settings and configure the camera for each individuals needs. "The D200 was accused of having no sharpening in its JPEGS at all," and when I use Raw I always add sharpening even if its just a small amount.

Nikon was known for making cameras that pros could work with which meant bland settings and each pro added the pop he wanted more easily in Post Processing. The same was true I think with sharpening. The D7000 sits in between category and I think is confusing people. That's why people trading down or people that know their craft have no problem. (Some problems will be faulty cameras with DSLR sales of over 4 million, even 4% faulty is a huge number).